Opera-glass shutter.



No. 640,938. Patented Ian. 9, I900.

J. W. PATTERSON.

OPERA GLASS SHUTTER.

(Application filed Nov. 19, 1898.) (No Model.)

ATTORNEY.

m: uonms virus so mom-ummwunmamn. 11 c4 NlTFD rarns JAMES W. PATTERSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

OPERA-GLASS SHUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 640,938, dated January 9, 1900.

Application filed November 19, 1898. Serial No. 696,896. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. PATTERSON, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Opera-Glass Shutters; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to means for controlling the use of opera, marine, and field glasses; and it consists of a coin-controlled obstruction normally closing the lens-barrel, but adapted upon the insertion of a proper token to be operated by said token and removed, whereby the glass may be used. The mechanism is such that it automatically resets itself when the coin is released. There are various ways in which the coin may be impelled, as by a lever, a push-button, or by the weight of the person using the glasses.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of my invention,parts being broken away. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a modified construction.

1 represents a support, provided upon its upper end with a socket 2. This support may be secured in a suitable manner.

3 is a casing of approved form. In the drawings it is illustrated as rectangular.

4 are guides secured within the casing, and 5 are circular openings (shown in dotted lines) cut in the rear plate of the casing, in which are secured in a suitable manner the barrels of the opera-glass 6, the ends only of the glass being secured in said openings.

7 is a coin-chute the shape of which is optional 5 but for purposes of illustration I have shown it as of an irregular shape, a construction shown in a number of my patents for coin-controlled mechanism.

8 is a manually-operated plunger or pushbutton having a flared inner end, which in practice will extend slightly in the path of the com.

9 is a coiled spring secured around the plunger between the flared end and one end of the casing. The plunger is so positioned as to be in line with the bottom of the chute.

10 is a coin-receptacle into which the coin drops after being used, this receptacle being suitably locked.

11 is a coin-slot leading into the chute 7.

12 is a sliding shutter provided with circular openings 13, adapted to register with the openings 5 and the barrels of the glass, said shutter being mounted and adapted to freely slide in the guides 4.

14 is a coiled spring one end of which is secured to the shutter, while the other end is secured to one end of the casing.

15 is a ball depending from the casing and adapted to work in the socket 2, whereby the casing may be revolved in accordance with the direction in which it is desired to look.

The operation of this device is as follows: A coin of predetermined denomination is inserted in the slot 11, from whence it drops into the coin-chute 7, at the bottom of which it is engaged by the plunger, which is then pushed in, thereby forcing the coin against one end of the sliding shutter, and acontinued inward pressure on the plunger pushes the shutter toward the far end of the casing until the openings 13 in the shutter register with the openings in the casing and barrels of the glass. The plunger must be retained. in its depressed position as long as it is desired to use the glass, inasmuch as when the pressure on the plunger is released the coil-spring 14 instantly throws the shutter 12 backward and the coin drops into the coin-receptacle. When in use, a coin must always be interposed between the plunger and shutter, as the plunger in itself is not of sufficient length to operate the shutter.

In Fig. 3, 40 is a rod the lower end of which out through the plunger, by means of which it is slidably mounted in the case upon the pin 47. 48 is the coin, and 49 the sliding shutter, the latter being of a construction like that described in connection with Fig. 1. The coin-chute 50 is so constructed that the coin drops between the shutter and the plunger 44. The weight of a person mounted upon the platform 41 depresses the rod 40 and the camshaped portion 43 is pulled down and slides on the beveled end of the plunger 44 and forces it horizontally against the coin, which in turn acts on the sliding shutter, thereby removing the obstruction to sight through the glasses. The coiled spring 51 serves to return the parts to normal position as soon as the weight is removed from the platform. 52 is a stop rigidly secured on the rod 40, and 53 is a stop integral with the post or standard 54, between which and stop 52 the spring is confined.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is.

1. The combination with the casing, openings therein, a pair of opera or field glasses secured in said openings, a spring-actuated self-closing shutter secured immediately in front of said openings, a coin-chute directed toward said shutter, and a man ually-operated appliance normally extending slightly in the path of a coin from said chute.

2. The combination with a casing, openings therein, a pair of glasses secured in said openings, a spring-actuated sliding shutter secured immediately in front of said openings, a coin-chute, a sliding plunger situate immediatel y below the chute and extending slightly across the path of a coin through the chute, of a movable platform, a standard connected with the same and extending upward to engage and coact with the sliding plunger.

3. The combination with a casing, openings therein, a pair of glasses secured in said openings, a spring-actuated sliding shutter secured immediately in front of the openings a sliding plunger having a coin-seat in one end and a cam-face on the other end, and secured immediately below the chute and extending slightly across the path of a coin from said chute, of a movable platform, a standard connected with the same and extending upward, a cam-body secured to the upper end of the standard to engage and 00- act with the cam-face of the sliding plunger and a recoil-spring to automatically return the parts to a normal position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES W. PATTERSON.

Witnesses:

GEORGE J. SCOTT, GEO. THOMPSON. 

